What Must Public Companies Disclose? A Primer

U.S. companies rely on the capital markets for a greater portion of their total funding, and on the debt capital markets for a greater portion of their credit financing, than do companies in Europe or Asia. In short, U.S. capital markets play a critical role in both the U.S. and global economy.


Transparency is viewed as fundamental to the efficient functioning of these markets. Transparency, in the form of robust dis-closures by public companies, helps to protect investors, ensure a level playing field, and promote better allocation of capital.


Given the extensive disclosure requirements now applicable to public companies and the ever- increasing length of public company disclosures, some would argue that we are well past the point of information overload. On the other hand, others would note that enhanced disclosure on a broad array of topics improves corporate accountability.


This book cover a variety of topics including:





Duty to Disclose

Fraud

Filing Requirements

Disclosure Categories

Business Operations

Risk Factors

Compensation

Special Circumstances and Issues

And more